'Sherlock' Season 3's First Official Photo: The Shippers Are Going to Feel This One!

We've waited long and ever for the return of 'Sherlock' for season 3, and each passing day brings us closer to reuniting the great detective (Benedict Cumberbatch) with his erstwhile companion John Watson (Martin Freeman). We've seen a few quick teases to be sure, but the affection between the pair has never been so heart-breakingly felt as in the first official season 3 photo!

Though John curiously lacks the mustache we saw him to sport in the earlier teaser, our first real look at 'Sherlock' season 3 arrives via the BBC One's Facebook page, depicting Sherlock to pass by a cafe where Watson sits drinking tea, Sherlock dejectedly eying his former partner, who still believes him to have perished from a long drop at the end of his conflict with Moriarty. The real question remains however, where, oh where is Sherlock's iconic blue scarf?

Says the BBC One of the aww-inducing 'Sherlock' series 3 photo:

"It's been a long time since Sherlock Holmes jumped off that roof - it's time to reveal the truth about what happened between him and the pavement" - Steven Moffat.

The question on everyone's lips will finally be answered when Sherlock returns with three brand new action-packed adventures. How did he do it? And how will John take the news that his best friend faked his own death? What will Sherlock think when he finds out John has fallen in love with Mary Morstan? She’s sensible, quick-witted and not at all taken in by Sherlock’s posturing. Once again, the game is on for Sherlock and John in the first episode of the new series, The Empty Hearse written by Mark Gatiss.

Meanwhile, in addition to the footage screened and details gleaned at Comic-Con, we most recently learned of season 3 that Danish actor Lars Mikkelsen (brother to ‘Hannibal”s Mads Mikkelsen) has joined in the villainous role of “Charles Augustus Magnussen,” a character with no direct literary counterpart, but one that likely corresponds to 1904 Sir Arthur Conan Doyle story, “The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton.”

Well, what are you waiting for? Check out the first official photo from Sherlock’ season 3 below, and tell us in the comments what you want to see from the star-crossed detective duo when the series hits U.S. screen on PBS, premiering January 19, 2014!